Digital transformation could be at risk from developer burnout

Pressure of pushing digital transformation are affecting job satisfaction for developers

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

The pressures of filling developer positions with qualified, suitably-skilled candidates is holding back many businesses from achieving full success, new research has claimed.

On top of the struggle to bring in fresh talent, existing developers are feeling the pressure, as companies struggle to recruit developers quickly enough.

Rapidly rising workloads are increasing faster than the workforce can grow, Dynatrace notes, and if the problem goes unaddressed, it could increasingly lead to developer burnout, putting digital transformation at risk.

Developer jobs

Developer jobs

It gets worse, though, because this knife is two-sided. Dynatrace notes that businesses are facing two opposing challenges: a pandemic-driven boom in digital transformation that ultimately opens up thousands of new positions, and a worker shortage that is continuing to leave those positions unfilled.

Research by the company indicates that almost three-quarters (72%) of tech teams have a skills shortage that they are seemingly unable to fill. It is said that 2 million tech vacancies were advertised between May 2021 and 2022, and the reward has never been higher.

Tech salaries have averaged almost 80% higher than non-tech equivalents, with a 22% salary increase witnessed among developer and DevOps salaries. In an effort to make the transition more appealing, lower-paid developer jobs saw a substantial 40% rise in pay.

The best laptops for programming>There’s a major lack of qualified cybersecurity workers around>Linus Torvalds wants more help from Linux developers

“Developers are under significant pressure to keep up with innovation cycles, and talent shortages create more work for existing teams," noted Dynatrace UK & Ireland Regional VP, Greg Adams.

Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter

Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!

“This leads to developer burnout as teams cannot cope with mounting workloads. Organisations need to do more than increase salaries if they are to reduce developer burnout, otherwise, they risk derailing their digital transformation journeys.”

The company says that part of the solution should include automation, which would allow developers to focus mostly on what matters, with less expenditure on “manual efforts to keep the lights on.”

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

Nokia confirms data breach leaked third-party code, but its data is safe

Best CDN provider of 2024

Black Friday is here: Sony XM5 over-ears drop to their lowest-seen price – act fast!